Assessment type: Pedagogical case study

Assessment description 

Drawing on literature from Assessment 1, design, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of two short sequences of play-based learning.

Each of the sequences should include at least two play-based teaching and learning experience plans (indoor and outdoor) that are suitable for a small group of children in the early years aged 3–5 years. It is expected that the design and evaluation reflect your professional philosophy statement and:

promote children as competent and active agents in their own learning

reflect social and cognitive outcomes of play-based learning

enhance the participation of adults in children’s play and learning

encourage participation by children who may experience marginalisation

recognise curriculum as holistic and connected.

Assessment details

This information supersedes the information above.

Assessment 2 will be developed while on placement. Please email your supervisor and remind them this has to be done while on placement. The task will demonstrate how you can design, implement and evaluate teaching. This assessment includes two parts:

Part A, description of context and observation of learning and play

Part B, two sequences (each sequence including two short activities, totalling four plans) that build on and extend your observation.

Part A: Overview of your context 

In Part A, provide an overview of your context and a collection of three observations that collates data for a group of two to three children to inform your experience sequences.

The observations should use a variety of formats, with each including two main sections:

the 

observation

your 

analysis or assessment

 of the observation.

In the first section you should outline the observation (that is, what you’ve seen your focus child or children do, engage or focus on). The observations may include de-identified images or work samples, and should include a description of the play and learning you’ve observed that inspired your lesson sequence.

The second section will analyse this in relation to learning, including links to relevant curriculum documents, research and theory. This part forms your assessment of learning as observed and should provide a justification for your plans.  

Part B: Build on and extend your observation

In Part B, based on your observations (Part A), design, plan and implement two learning sequences. Each sequence will including two short activities, each with its own separate plan, totalling four plans. These plans should show your understanding of the planning cycle and must build on and extend the observation you outlined in Part A. The activity plans within each learning sequence should be clearly related in some way and expand or build the child’s learning experience, though they do not need to be linear with one leading directly to the other.  

Each of the two sequences should use the below lesson plan template shared within the unit to show how you plan, implement and evaluate. These experiences may be short extensions on play, or short teacher-led experiences; one sequence should take place outdoors and one indoors. These sequences should include at least the following sections:

A description of the learning sequence including: 

learning goals and success criteria against which you can evaluate the effectiveness of the learning experience

rationale (linking to observations)

links to the Early Years Learning Framework or state-based curriculum

detailed lists of resources required

consideration of how activities will be organised (e.g. a floor plan)

a plan for each of the two short activities that make up the learning sequence including description, strategies, resources, etc. 

indication of how you will collect data for documentation (assessment and reporting strategies)

indication how you could adapt your plan to extend learning; for example, indication of how you would adapt this plan in transition to a primary school context. 

An evaluation of the two learning sequences you implemented (one page per experience or included in plans) with: 

a reflection on the effectiveness of the strategies used (for example, this could include an experience that includes intentional teaching, guided activities or inspiring child-led play-based learning)

integration of literature review and policies to reflect on use of inclusive strategies for fostering positive learner engagement and managing challenging behaviour

a consideration on whether appropriate feedback was provided to learners. 

An example of how you would report or document learning to parents or carers. This section includes: 

an overview of your evaluation or each learning sequence (including work samples or de-identified photos)

an example of documentation for each sequence – this could include a children's folder including report, letter OR example interview for communicating sensitively and confidentially and involving parents/carers in the educative process. 

Summary

Part A: one-page overview of the context (with reference to research literature) and three observations of learning (each including observation and analysis/assessment) – one page per observation.  

Part B: two pages per learning sequence, one page for evaluation, one page for documentation and reporting – indoor experience sequence (two plans, one evaluation and one parent reporting/documentation example) and outdoor experience sequence (two plans, one evaluation and one parent reporting/documentation example).

This work should build on your philosophy (Assessment 1) and your work over the term. It must show an example of the planning cycle as outlined in the EYLF 2.0.